A growl rumbled in the back of Xavier’s throat. His eyes still contained those everlasting flames of hatred.
“And if I recall, you wished to throw her into the Lazarus Pit after satisfying your sadistic lust,” I said icily. “The irony thickens ever so much, does it not?”
I could tell there was nothing he would not have done in exchange for the strength to break free and rip my head clean from my shoulders. I walked up to Xavier until our faces were mere inches apart and smiled.
“I could join these Kshatriya. I could revel in your screams. But instead I wish to thank you. Your intended revenge on me was subtle, but could not have been more perfect. The same can be said for my revenge. I love Mercedes, I am no longer ashamed of my dream for a better life, the royal family has promised that no elite will ever harm us again, and it is all thanks to you.” I grinned, showing my fangs. “So thank you, Xavier. Thank you so very much.”
I turned on me heel and left, Xavier’s feeble shrieks and roars echoing behind me.
***
Mercedes
Dawn broke by the time Shadow returned me home. I asked to see him again that night, but he refused, stating that I needed a few days rest first. I couldn’t deny he was right. From everything I just endured to my sheer relief that Shadow and everyone I cared about would be safe from harm, I was flat-out exhausted.
Still, I couldn’t bring myself to skip school. I just programmed my brain to self-pilot itself like I had done many times before. Sam and Nadine suspected something was wrong, but I told them I was just tired and they let me be. I still hoped that someday I wouldn’t have to lie to them anymore, but now that I had caught the attention of the royal family, that seemed more like wishful thinking at best.
Well, you can’t get everything you want.
And eager as I was to be with Shadow again, I managed to have a deeply relaxing and enjoyable evening. After finding out that I had barely touched my dinner last night, Natalie made her disapproval known by serving me the exact same seven-course lasagna meal again. To please her (and to satisfy my rumbling belly) I all but polished everything off.
“Please relax as much as you can, Miss Mercedes. You haven’t given me any details, but judging from your torn, bloody clothes and those utterly unattractive dark circles under your eyes, I imagine you went through something very troubling last night.”
I smiled fondly as I closed my eyes and luxuriated in the bubble bath.
“I did,” I replied. “But we won, Lulu.”
“I expected nothing less of you. And what of your relationship with Shadow?”
I opened my eyes and sank slightly deeper into the water. “He told me he loved me.”
“Then why do you appear so troubled?”
I sighed. “We both love each other and have admitted as much, but we still live in two different worlds. And there are forces in each of those worlds that would do everything they could to tear us apart. I’m still not sure if those who know won’t try to tear us apart eventually. Also…Lulu, I’m human. He’s a vampire. An immortal.”
“If you want my opinion, Miss Mercedes, I would simply advise your usual caution in regards to your first concern. Outside forces will always work against you whether you are in love or if you are simply trying to complete a homework assignment. That is the way it always will be. That is what life is like, Mercedes.”
“I know,” I said. “I put on a brave face to Shadow when he mentioned his concerns. I said I was up to the challenge, and I am, though I’m still afraid.”
“Then you know what it means to be courageous,” Lulu said. “And as to your second concern, I believe it could not be more irrelevant.”
I was stunned. “Why?”
“Tell me, Miss Mercedes, and be honest: did you and Shadow come close to death during your ordeal last night?”
I shuddered. “I can’t think about how close we came to death.”
“That is my point. Just because time may not kill Shadow does not mean he is truly immortal. His physiology may be more resistant to physical harm than yours, but those outside forces you are concerned about…any outside forces for that matter are just as capable of ending his life as they are yours. The truth is, Mercedes, Shadow is just as mortal as you are. Perhaps even more so if he has had as rough a life as you claim.”
I sighed and nodded. “You’re right, Lulu. From the day we’re born, we live on borrowed time. Every moment could be our last. Worrying about how Shadow’s so-called immortality will affect our relationship is the epitome of shallowness and arrogance. I may as well base our relationship on how young and physically attractive I am, and that’s not love at all.”
“It is love, just an incredibly unhealthy love.”
A compartment opened on the wall beside the bath. A metal arm carrying a tray with warm, sweet biscuits, and a large, steaming cup of hot cocoa extended itself. I smiled and picked up the mug.
“Thanks, Lulu,” I said before taking a long, gratifying drink.
“You’re welcome, Mercedes.”
***
Shadow
Four days passed, and I was very grateful that the royal family still had not summoned either Mercedes or I. Were it my choice, she would not be involved in these affairs at all. Then again, thinking that was incredibly hypocritical of me. She was involved because of her connection to me, and would always be involved so long as we were together.
I knew then and there that my fear of letting her go to protect her would never fully fade. I would let her go if it meant protecting her, but I would also do anything to ensure that we remained together. I now knew what it felt like to be whole, and I would kill anyone who tried to take her away from me.
Blackhole bounced around my heels as I was about to leave my apartment. I sighed and bent down, touching my Evanescence companion’s forehead.
What is it, my friend?
Are you bringing her over?
I doubt it. She still needs time to rest, and I do not know when the royal family will summon us. Do not worry, you will meet her soon enough.
I have to meet her soon, Shadow. I respected your privacy during the time she was here, but I need to see her soon.
I frowned in confusion. Blackhole had never sounded so urgent.
Is there something you are not telling me?
There’s something about her, Shadow. She’s no ordinary human. She’s a player of destiny.
What do you mean?
I can’t say yet. I can only tell you what I sense.
My suspicion deepened. My people had enslaved the Evanescence thousands of years ago, but I had no real knowledge of their origins. Had they been hiding special powers and abilities from us for all this time?
Blackhole, you know you can trust me. I never considered you my slave, and I hope you never considered me your master.
I know. You always gave me a choice. That’s why I never thought of you as my master. I do trust you, Shadow, but I ask that you trust me in return. Know that I would never do anything to harm you or Mercedes.
Several protests rose up in my mind, but I never voiced a single one of them.
Very well. I will trust you.
Thank you.
***
Mercedes
Being a person who hated to flaunt my family’s affluence, I nearly always saved the designer clothing my mother constantly showered me with for special occasions only. But when I felt the scar on my neck grow warm again, I knew I wanted to wear something nice.
I opened a white box that had been on my bed since this morning and found a beautiful green dress complete with a matching pair of shoes and a scarf for my hair. I quickly put the outfit on, but didn’t bother with a drop of makeup. Blush or lipstick would only hinder Shadow’s touch on my face and lips, which was the last thing I wanted.
Taking a deep breath, I left my room.
It was pleasantly cool tonight, signaling the arrival of fall. I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and savored the smel
l.
“You look beautiful, Mercedes.”
I gasped and flinched, both at the fact that Shadow was standing right in front of me, and the overwhelming intensity of his obsidian eyes.
“So do you,” I whispered dumbly, not knowing what else to say.
He well-cut lips curled into a slight smile, and my knees went weak.
He kissed me, long, slow, and deep before pressing our foreheads together.
“Will you come with me?”
“Always,” I swore.
He lifted me and began to run. A part of me wanted him to run forever. It gave me a feeling of such freedom and security. There was no feeling that could compare to it. Well, his kiss came pretty close, but this…this was magical. Beyond magical.
“Close your eyes,” he whispered to me when we arrived at the wall.
I obeyed, and this time, I didn’t feel at all sick after going through the portal. He set me on my feet and I felt soft grass beneath them.
A cold, marble finger ran down my jaw. “Now open them.”
I did and gasped for the second time in under ten minutes. Before me was the largest, oldest, most majestic oak tree I had ever seen in my life. It looked like something out of a fairy tale.
“I have always nursed a fondness for this particular tree,” Shadow said. He reached out to touch the bark.
I smiled at him. “Meaning you’re not as fond of your isolated apartment as you always thought?”
“I have spent much of my life deluding myself.” He retracted his hand and let it hang by his side. “But even I cannot prevent my subconscious mind from becoming attached to something I can very much relate to.”
I could see why he could relate to it. There was nothing surrounding the oak save for a seemingly endless field of grass. There weren’t even flowers on the branches. Its roots extended for several feet as if hoping that someday it would be able to touch something. For all its wisdom and power, it was stuck here in utter isolation.
“But there is a vast difference between us,” Shadow said as if reading my thoughts. “This tree did not choose its isolation. I did.”
The moonlight shone through the branches, illuminating his pale skin, and making his eyes shine so beautifully, I considered the pain inside them a travesty.
“But you’re not alone anymore,” I said. I walked up to him and put a hand on his arm. “We’re together now. You wanted this. You chose this.”
He turned to fully face me, and my heart started racing at the sight of his glorious, illuminated features.
“And what price will I have to pay?” he whispered. His hand ran down my hair before he began to caress his mark on me. “What price will you have to pay? I fear our victory against Xavier is only the beginning, my love.”
“It is only the beginning,” I said. “I know that in my heart. Outside forces will try to tear us apart, and how we respond will define the strength of our love.
“And who we really are.”
Shadow nodded as he put his hands around my waist. “But for now there is just you and I, Mercedes.” He pressed our foreheads together. “My love. My life. My soul.”
He kissed me hard. I pulled away when I saw that the oak tree possessed a very large, sturdy-looking branch.
“Hey,” I whispered, tilting my head in the direction of the branch. “What’s say we keep this very majestic tree company for a while longer?”
Shadow followed my line of vision and the ghost of a smirk flitted across his face.
“An excellent idea.”
He held out his hand. My smile grew to a laugh as we both flew up in the air.
***
Blackhole
It was highly undignified to pose as a human child’s toy in a human child’s room, but I would do my duty.
Perched on a shelf and bearing the appearance of what humans called a ‘teddy bear’, I watched the girl sleep, watched the sweet half-smile on her lips and the rise and fall of her chest. She looked incredibly innocent. Humans tended to be deeply affected by traumatic experiences for long periods of time, but this one was different.
Of course she was different
What do you think, my child?
I knew that my father did not value my opinion, but my answers never failed to amuse him.
She will serve, Titlacauan.
I was never allowed to address my father as my father. He preferred Titlacauan, or “We Are His Slaves.”
I have a new task for you, child. One that involves your beloved cousins, the dragons. Tell me, how do you think your vampire masters would react if the dragons were tempted into taking something of severe value to them?
They would wage war without hesitation.
Yes, they would.
I stared at Mercedes, knowing which ‘valuable thing’ my father had in mind.
Listen carefully, child. This is what I desire…
###
Part II
The Mirror
Chapter 6
Find the seeds of dark discord
So commands my twisted lord
They writhe beneath a tender skin
And sprout they will at conflict’s whim
Tarasque
The golden chalices could not have been more glorious with their intricate designs and precious stones. The silver swords were long, lethal, and worthy of the most fearsome of warriors. The pearls on the necklaces were flawless, but that was no surprise; the mermaids themselves mined them. There were rubies and sapphires the size of boulders, a statue of an ancient goddess of untold beauty carved from a dark emerald. And that was just to name a few parts of the magnificent treasure before me. So many beautiful things, ancient things, things so priceless they would make mortals lose their breath, all floating on a sea of gold coins that twinkled like stars in the torchlight.
A magnificent treasure. My hunters had outdone themselves yet again. I should have been proud to add such a boon to my personal horde. I should have felt the great surge of satisfaction all dragon kings felt after such a successful hunt.
Instead…
“My king? It does not please you? If you wish, we could go out again and—”
“No,” I said more sharply than I intended. “No,” I said in a gentler tone. “You have all done very well.”
My three hunter’s posture and manner of speech were as dignified and respectful as could be. However, much as they valiantly tried to hide it, I knew they were deeply disappointed by my reaction. I knew that as they were flying home, they congratulated one another continuously on a job well done and how much they could not wait to see their king’s face when he saw their boon.
The guilt I felt was considerable. My hunters did not deserve to have their hard work dismissed by their king. It was not at all their fault that treasure gathering did not give me as much pleasure as it once did.
“For a treasure this size, I imagine you risked your lives on this mission. You must tell me of your adventures!”
All of them immediately brightened. Bokor was the first one to launch into a tale of a month long journey through an active volcano where a long-dead fairy queen hid her most precious possessions. While quite young for a hunter, he had an incredible talent for bringing his words to life when he told a story. I could vividly imagine the comforting heat of the molten lava, the fear all of them felt when they thought the fairy queen’s traps would get the better of them. How triumphant they were when they emerged victorious.
Valucan, a seasoned hunter whose scars and shining amber scales spoke of his trials and vast experience, described an incredible battle with a group of ogres who once thought they could outwit the dragons. Valucan showed them what fools they were, and a good portion of their treasure was swept up as punishment for their arrogance.
Raticandris, a hunter known for his incredible intellect, told me about his latest battle of wits against the Sphinx, Clytemnestra. I myself had won my fair share of victories against Sphinx riddles, but I would freely admit that Rat
icandris rivaled me in cleverness. Apparently, Clytemnestra had been contemplating this particular riddle for the past one-hundred years, and had been saving it specifically for Raticandris. I deeply respected Sphinxes and was amazed when my hunter told me word for word what Clytemnestra’s riddle was. It probably would have taken me at least an hour to solve it, but Raticandris had timed himself to thirty minutes and forty-seven seconds. Perhaps he was cleverer than I was.
The tales of my comrades lifted my spirits greatly, and for a moment, I contemplated telling them that their stories provided me with more joy than any treasure could ever hope to. But I knew I would not. They would think me mad. Dragons were not supposed to value tales over treasures.
I dismissed my hunters, telling them to go enjoy a long vacation before returning to my personal chambers, to my greatest treasure of all: the Mirror. The Mirror was a magical artifact that had been passed down from the royal family through countless generations. It was also the greatest weapon in my arsenal, enabling me to watch beings from other worlds, even from other universes. With the Mirror, I could discover treasure in places I had never dreamed of. I could watch those who envied the dragon kingdom, and foil their plans if they ever contemplated declaring war on us.
But what captivated me most of all was the places it showed me, and the people. Places and people of such wonder, beauty, evil, majesty. I had been to many of them, but so many others remained untouched. The reasons always fell into two categories; our presence would provoke a costly war, or the world possessed nothing of value. In other words, there was no logical reason for dragons to set foot there. No logical reason.
And yet I watched them. I watched them ever since I inherited the throne. Over my thousands of years of existence, I had observed and documented countless sentient species, and I was content merely to watch these wondrous worlds. I had never felt a desire to actually travel to another world, and interact with the populace.
Or so I told myself.
King Tarasque.
The voice was inside my mind. However, I knew the intruder was in my chambers, and I was not at all afraid.